You decline social invitations

High-functioning depression looks a lot like chronic low-level depression and can last around five years in adults or one to two years in children and teens, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. And while it may not leave you devastated and hopeless, high-functioning depression can seriously dent your quality of life, dampening your enthusiasm for work, school, family, and even social activities. A change in social activities can be one of the earliest warning signs. “People with high functioning depression still go to work and interact with people, but outside of work, they may stop hanging out with friends, and make excuses like ‘work’s been really stressful,'” says Jason Stamper, MD, a psychiatrist in Pikeville, Kentucky. “They will be somewhat isolative, and this often translates into distance in relationships.”